Expat Guides for Americans: Living in 29 European Countries (2026)

In short

Each expat guide covers one country from an American point of view: the visa and residence routes open to you, the steps of the move, the cost of living, the cities where Americans settle and practical tips — with a key-facts box that links every figure to its official source. Visits are visa-free for 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area, but living in a country needs its own residence permit. The guides complement the country overviews, which focus on the move itself, and the topic guides on visas, retirement and company formation.

29
Country guides, checked 2026: €1,280
Lowest monthly cost — Bucharest (rent + costs): 26
Countries in the Schengen area: 21
Countries that use the euro

29 Guides

Choose Your Country Guide

Grouped by region, with the monthly cost in each capital. Filter by the visa routes a country offers, then open its guide.

Western Europe 6 countries

Central Europe 8 countries

Southern Europe 7 countries

South-East Europe 2 countries

Nordic 3 countries

Baltic 3 countries

Monthly cost: single person in the capital, central 1-bedroom plus everyday costs (Numbeo, 2026).

Living in Europe as an American: key factsLast verified 28 September 2026

Visits	US citizens can stay visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, without working; entries are registered in the Entry/Exit System (fully running since 10 April 2026) Source: Entry/Exit System (EES) – European Commission Migration & Home Affairs
Schengen area	29 countries — 25 EU states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein; Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025. Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but not (fully) in Schengen Source: Schengen Area – European Commission Migration & Home Affairs
Documents from abroad	Need an apostille; the US, Canada (since 11 Jan 2024), the UK, Australia and NZ issue them Source: HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
Social Security abroad	US citizens can keep receiving Social Security payments while living in European countries (payments cannot be sent to a few countries such as Belarus) Source: Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States (SSA)
Medicare abroad	Medicare usually does not cover health care outside the US — plan for local or private insurance in Europe Source: Travel outside the U.S. (Medicare.gov)

In Every Guide

What Each Expat Guide Covers

Visas

Visas and residency

The routes open to Americans — work, nomad, retirement, study, investment — and how to apply.

Steps

Your path, step by step

What to do before you leave, after you arrive and when you renew.

Costs

Cost of living

Rent and everyday costs for a single person, measured the same way in every country.

Cities

Where Americans settle

The cities expats choose, with links to our city guides.

Tips

Practical tips

Banking, healthcare, registration, language and the US tax points that follow you.

Sources

Key facts with sources

Every figure in the key-facts box links to the official source it comes from.

Which Page

Expat Guide, Country Overview or Topic Guide?

Expat guide — life in the country
Daily life, costs, cities and practical tips. Start here once you have a country in mind.
Country overview — the move itself
The routes, timelines and paperwork for moving there. Find all 29 in our countries hub.
Topic guides — across Europe
Compare one route in every country: nomad visas, retirement visas, golden visas or company formation.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which European country is easiest for Americans to move to?

It depends on your route. Portugal has the lowest retirement-visa income bar (€920 a month); Germany and the Netherlands let Americans apply for some permits after arriving visa-free; 14 countries have a digital nomad visa. Each guide explains the routes for that country.

Can I live in Europe without a visa as an American?

Only for visits: 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area, without working. To live there you need a residence permit from the country you move to.

Does Social Security or Medicare work in Europe?

Social Security keeps paying in European countries. Medicare usually does not cover care outside the US, so you need local or private health insurance.

Are the costs in the guides up to date?

Living costs come from Numbeo (June–October 2026) and are measured the same way in every country; visa and tax figures come from official sources, with the date they were checked.

Written by US GO EU TeamResearched from official sources in each country · How we research and update

✓ Facts verified 28 September 2026

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